Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft manufacturers Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation will join a new U.S. Federal Aviation Administration initiative to hasten the development and deployment of the aircraft, the companies said Friday.
FAA on Friday announced it was developing a pilot program designed to pair private-sector eVTOL manufacturers with state and local governments to deploy the aircraft. The pilots are scheduled to run for three years once operational.
"By safely testing the deployment of these futuristic air taxis and other [advanced air mobility] vehicles, we can fundamentally improve how the traveling public and products move," U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement.
The move follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in June directing FAA to establish the eVTOL program to "accelerate the deployment of safe and lawful eVTOL operations in the United States."
Joby in a statement said the executive order would "ensure that mature eVTOL aircraft can begin operations in select markets ahead of full FAA certification, a critical step in preparing for scaled commercial service."
"We've spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility, and we're ready to bring our services to communities," Joby chief policy officer Greg Bowles said in a statement.
Several airlines in recent years have invested in the development of eVTOL, which are designed to operate on electricity and take off and land vertically. United Airlines, for example, has invested in Archer while Delta Air Lines has invested in Joby.
Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein in a statement called the FAA pilot plan "a landmark moment for our industry and our country," and Archer said it was "exploring pathways" to work with carriers including United.
"The trials are expected to focus on demonstrating that eVTOL operations are safe, quiet and scalable—key factors in building community trust and support for adoption of this new technology," according to Archer.